Monday, May 25, 2009

Friday through Sunday afternoon I was at my mother's. Which is where I am during the week. There is a rodeo in my hometown and it is the biggest day of the year there. It's not the same to me, but it's still a homecoming of sorts. I got to spend some quality time with my granddaughter. She begged me to let her stay with me when her mother was going to leave. I said ok, and about 30 minutes later she was throwing a fit to see her mother. I knew she was tired, and she always gets cranky when she's been up longer than usual. So I just suffered through until she fell asleep. The next morning she woke up, I was already up, and she apologized to me. She is always at her best for the first few hours of the morning.We went to the cemetery and then headed back home. This morning I decided to run this 8k here called the Dog Jog. It is to benefit a dog charity and encourage responsible pet ownership. I don't have a dog, but I like them. I ran this and it was hot and humid. I was having a hard time keeping up the effort, but ran well considering how bad I felt. I finished in just over 36 minutes. Over a minute off my P R, but good enough for 2nd in age group. Again, they gave a useful prize. Gift certificates to Sonic. All in all a good weekend.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Years ago I heard this song. I didn't know the name, but I knew it was by Jean Luc Ponty. I became acquainted with his music through the Mahavisnu Orchestra lead by John McLaughlin. Ponty was on Visions of the Emerald Beyond. But back to this song. It touched me then, and I vowed I would buy the album. I figured I wouldn't have any problem finding it even though I didn't know the name. Wrong, I could not find this song. Remember this is pre internet, and my only real choice was to buy albums until I found it. I didn't, and so I gave up searching actively for it. I thought, I'll hear it again someday. That was over 15 years ago. Recently I've been using Pandora. I created a station beginning with Delerium and was just listening yesterday, and this song comes on. I jumped up to see what the name was, and it was this ambitious title "Computer Incantations for World Peace." If you care to listen to it, click below. And I ask that if you do, pay particular attention to the change that happens around 2:38. Remember those who are important to you.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Yesterday I volunteered to work at this Tri. It was a great experience to see these class athletes from the US, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America. I got to see the swim start and the transition to bikes and run. I was working the run part, and so I saw them all come through twice for the 5k run. It was great to see all these international athletes and I got to practice a little Spanish.

My maintenance training has been going well. This week I did a little speed work with 1/2 mile intervals, and I tried to do a tempo run, but it was so hot, I had to turn it into an easy run. I ran several 8 minute miles, but felt like I was going to get sick, so I cut it short. I haven't acclimated to the hot weather yet. Today I did a 20 mile long run, two loops around Hefner including the Stars and Stripes loop. I wanted to do the second loop faster, but I didn't fuel before the first, or take any water with me, so by the second loop I didn't feel like picking up the pace, and just barely forced myself to go back out. I did average a faster second loop, but that was because I ran the first two miles of the first loop over 10:30 each. All in all it was a good run, my longest since Boston. I don't have anything on the calendar, so I'm just trying to be in shape should I make a spur of the moment decision to run something long.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

I am staying in Huntington Beach for business. Yesterday evening I went for a 10 mile (5 out & back) run along the beach. I could get used to this. I have run north of here before. From Marina Del Rey north, and south. I don't know how much more running I will get in, because the business part of this trip starts in earnest today. I'm here for the filming of an infomercial. And while this is not a movie or TV series, the parts I've seen have been very interesting. I still may run a trail race this Saturday, but will have to play it by ear, and it may be sold out even if I do have the time.

Sunday I did an 8 mile progression run. I started off slow, and then started doing progressively faster kilometers. Finishing with 2 4:30's. Not as fast as I would like, but I feel like I need to ease back into speed work while incorporating the stretches the doc prescribed.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

I ran this 5k yesterday. This is an evening race to benefit Limbs for Life Foundation. I knew about this race, but had never run it before. It's a downtown race that starts and ends near the Redhawaks (Minor League Baseball Team) stadium. It was a nice cool evening overcast but not raining. That was one reason I signed up for this race. In past years it has been hot for this race. I saw the long range forecast predicting temperatures in the 50's. We've had more rain than we've needed lately. At 5:30, right on time, we start. This race takes you out from downtown just a bit then returns. Nothing spectacular about the course, gentle rolling hills. I was not feeling my best, but didn't feel bad either. I was able to hold 4:30/k's or better. I finished in 22:01, 1st in age group. The age group prize was a baseball. It's always nice to get something other than a medal.Friday I went to see the running doc. I made an appointment with him to try to work on some minor problems before they became stoppers. I saw him before the office visit, and he told me "you know you don't have to come to my office?" He is often at our group runs, treating people out of his SUV. But as I told him, I needed his undivided attention. He diagnosed my problems, told me they were minor and gave me some stretches and exercises to fix them. My training has been on the back burner because I didn't want to aggravate any of my issues. This week I head to Southern California for work. I'll be there from Tuesday to Saturday. Depending on my schedule I may run a 22k trail race in Malibu Creek State Park.